New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-08-11
FARRdG IN MOBILE BAY.
LETTER FROM THE ADMIRAEs SECRETARY.

LETTER FROM THE ADMIRAES sFCRErAhh
TO the Editor OF The Tribune
SIR: As warm personal friend and the Official secre
tary OF the late Admiral Farragut too desire 70 ea
nre,, nv surprise and that any one at tns
late date and In the OF evidence which would DC ac
ceped in any court positive and incontrover"oe'
should have the presumption To resurrect the
tied question TO whether our greao naVai hero wa"
FLASHED 10 the rigging OF the Hartford In the
battle OF Mobile Bay" II would seem to any reasonable
person that such overpowerng testimony as mas oeon
adduced not only from the great Admiral himself ou.
from responsible officers OF different grades alone guam
fed by the stations they occupied during the or"'
engagement to speak authortativey upon the suoos'
would be amply sufficient to establish forever the tun
of an interesting little episode which has become inde
by stamped upon the pages OF history as iea'ui0 VI
one of the grandest naval battles In our civil war
shortly before left America In 1877. THE TRIBUNE
published letter my own signature, giving uo-
tailed sketch OF this entire scene described from
alton obtained directly from the Admiral himself "ou
was verified and pronounced correct In every particular
by certain officers who present and whose speoi
duty was 10 observe closely every movement OF .ho'
and receive his instructions verbally These
vnes,ss included Captain Pereval Drsyton. the Flag
Capan OF the feet who stationed on the poop aecA
OF the Hartford and ordered the quartermaster 10 carr
a rope to the Admiral 10 make himself fast; Auhiai
then captain) James L. Jouett. who oommanaed 'no
Metacomet the consort OF tho Hartford. and who was
below the Admiral; Captain Kimberly, executive
officer OF the flagship; Captain then heu'
TENANT Crittenden Watson, Flag Lieutenant
whose special duty staff officer kept him close w w
the ADMIRAL and who asserts that nc nios in
the mizlen rigging; EnsiEn Brownell VINO was 20
tho poop deck OF the Hartford: Msd nnsy Army sig
nal Officer who from his position. hsd et9eptons
~ hs and Quarterma,tsr Knowles
who carried up rope the Admiral under orders aa
assisted in lashiag him to tue riTgns . have not my
original letter with me. cannot ut present reoa nv
vould wi ali 10 mention bat the sworn testimony Oh s
one OF those specified should be suhcento establish INC
truth OF the statement -, -. A.. .,,
iect as settled beyond all chance OF dispute but as
tonsl evidence can serve TO renter even proJ de in
Pages studio when he examined the picture Og
that artist and heard him distinctly indorse inc
correct" and, furthermore that he pahe the same ~
servaton upon the sketch drawn BY MT John W. IN
Ger him In the "futock shrouds OF me
Hartford with the rope attaching him to them IN suui
ton this assert that In res onse % had ~ me
qgsios." heard the famous old hero describe u IN
modest detail Tor his auditors would never PERM
Now sir permit state that when Tue oharae.o
standing OF the officers who have voluntary gr 4,
Considered ali of whom. with tho . erI
eepOn Of Admiral JsnSIs the may aySmrs during s
that bril- ant engagement and when on the otnrf manu-,
the misty aud nnsy nature OF tne re-
i
called It verify waste OF tinc ana paper 20 sy
ANYTHING further upon the subject aud yet toe leaving
H. must add that oppose the right OF any one VINO was
not In q positen TO know what did occur 10 quss
ton the positive testimony OF those VINO were on uo
snot and know the orders and them executed upon
this and other points iudorse all that IL 40 wen anu
ably written by John G. Kinney, late Army SlShaI
Ocer on the Hartford and even add that tue eonis
pursued By Mr. Baldwin Is insulting to the memory OF our
rrrat naval hero a man whose character throuxhout
life was "Sans pear 1T sans reprocho ana whose
achievements during our civil war sheu @ eGrg
upon our navy and rendered its reputation Tor uah
aud vslor unHssallahle. Inc slmpie "oIu -
Farragut should stand against The world
a"d he alone sufficient TO setls any dispute
II ia equally insulting TO the heightened aud &C
compsed officers still living whose Testimony Is as ss
cred a, bond and record Is one OF lasting hphor
10 and the country they nave ~ althtuy
served aud sincerely trust these periodical attempts
10 accuse them Of deliberately fslsying facts may no"
cease forever. for they smp return u piigue 'no III
ventor" and place the truth on more sOud oast
I'm conclusion permit 10 say that u u - true nA1
conIes OF the letter OF Mr. Baldwin containing thr do-
ni of these facts mailed Ia the Car OF ssA
IL ia the auest duty OF the Navy Department 10 noy
the usgan Govern through our representative III
~ Petersburg that depicted In rage pctur
presented bT the citizens OF Newlork to the Grahd
buE. Alexis Is historically correct In every feature
am truly yours, j. E"LINio. nJn Gerrar,t
ZerD,aff, Stcil-oiayid July 90 1887.